Running the Gauntlet
by Hopebringer Jem
Summary: Finally got around to updating the rewrite. Still is 'bout learning to survive in the empire. a action/romance in the old tradition of the genre
1. Arrival v2

**Time Period:** from 9 months before the battle of Yavin 4 up to the battle of Yavin 4.

**Synopsis:** A group of Tellurians is pulled up from their home planet by an unknown phenomenon. Now they have to survive and adapt to being in the Empire whether they like it or not. Emperor Palpatine, Mara Jade, and a few others have cameo parts. Darth Vader has a more obvious appearance rate.

**Disclaimer:** George Lucas has the copyrights to Vader, the stormtroopers, and the usual suspects. The other Star Wars authors have Hetheir, and the other suspects. I in no way or fashion own or possess even the slightest hint of rights nor ownership of the Star Wars universe- extended or otherwise nor do I receive any financial compensation for the time involved at all. I get squat in the money or profit department. I may wish that I have gained the right to write for it officially, but alas, I did not. So, as it stands- this is a work of fiction based off of it. The characters introduced thus in do have years of exploration and much patience of many of my friends, associates, loved ones, and myself... At least the ones not known previously in any of the novels, comic books, short stories, movies, television shows, or video games from the setting.

**Genre:** Action/Adventure is the obvious classification for this. Epic/Romance is the not so obvious one due to the more modern take on the Romance genre. The older definition and use of the genre meant a narration of the extraordinary exploits of heroes, often in exotic or mysterious settings as well as stories of mysterious adventures, not necessarily of heroes.

**Dedication:** This rewrite is dedicated to a group of friends who was there in its beginnings and there as I keep working on this labour of love, obsessive fandom, and trust.

**Author Notes and Review Replies:** ./topic/21148-gem-games-arc-author-notes-and-review-responses/

Running the Gauntlet

Part I

I don't recall much of what happened more than a few minutes ago. I had been out hiking with my cousin and her ex-squeeze on a somewhat nice autumn afternoon when a blaze of light hit us and everything went blank. Crazy as this may sound, the trees and trail just vanished as it felt like I was being torn apart into tiny pieces. It seemed to stretch for an eternity 'til the light slowly faded away and reality kicked in. I know I was temporarily blinded for a bit afterwards and could only blink until my vision was restored. Although when that occurred, I wasn't so sure I wanted it too. I was surrounded by shifting rows of white armor that looked sort of humanoid, but not by much. I could feel myself starting to want to hyperventilate until I heard a cough from behind me. Startled, I twirled a bit off-balancedly to see both Courtney (my cousin) and Mitchel (her ex and our mutual friend) standing haphazardly behind me looking around as much as I had been. It was too quiet in this place, far too quiet and colorless almost. The metallic walls were a bland color of steel as even the air smelled almost recycled. It was similar to being in a hospital hall.

It would just be my luck that when our captors, locators, oh whatever they are… Finally, **finally**, spoke, I couldn't understand a word of what they were saying. So of course, I couldn't answer whatever they were asking us anymore than Mitchel or Courtney could. There are far more pleasant ways to spend an eternity I think, even for them, but still it seemed that long. Even if they were frustrated, I really don't know why they had to start shouting at us. Apparently there was a completely different set of manners in this sterile hell hole we had found, a very annoying set. Wasn't it enough I had to put up with Mitchel and Courtney arguing all afternoon over some retarded simple little thing, now I had to put up with these things yelling too! I don't think so you jackasses!

"I don't know what you are saying. NO COMPREHENDE!" Alright, so yelling back was a long shot even at best. I never claimed to be completely rational here… After all, I am only fifteen and just in my ninth level of school still. Logic, control, being level headed, and keeping cool were something that you got later in life- before you became ancient at thirty. I didn't know all that many languages, so I probably should have stopped at that instead of trying to recycle what few I knew in a poorly thought out idea of a shouting match. I'm sure this probably would have continued if Courtney hadn't grabbed a hold of me and covered my mouth with her hand to muffle my complaints. Like I said, I never claimed to be rational here- that's her job. Although common sense should have told me to shut up when you have guns- at least I think they're guns- pointed at you.

Time had lost all sense of proportion in this place. I couldn't tell you how long it took for a tall, heavily armoured man in black to appear with a smaller almost ordinary looking man in a gray uniform of some sort. Man, oh man, was I glad to see some one who looked like another human being at least. The uniform was hideous, but aren't all uniforms, and the black armour did look vaguely humanoid. I'm really just assuming it's a guy from how the detailing on the armour is. I would seriously hate to be a girl wearing that get up. The almost rasping sound of breathing through some sort of breathing apparatus is quite audible as well. I may be wrong in even assuming that the person wearing that armour is human-ish. What if he/she/it can't even breathe in whatever atmospheric mix that this sterile hell has. Obviously it has some sort of oxygen and nitrogen mix since Mitchel, Courtney and I aren't suffering from asphyxiation or anything like that yet. Still that guy has this really ominous presence about him. Even the lights are seeming to dim to almost nothingness around him. Maybe it's just his height blocking the lighting fixtures… Wherever those are here.

"Greetings ladies, …and gentle. My …um..associates were wondering what your names are." The uniformed man spoke Inglish in an almost lilting accent. Maybe we're not that far from home if a guy speaks our native tongue with an Irisce accent. At least I'm guessing that is what it is. It's a bit thick and sounds like it. If I could only feel relieved about this situation now, this guy should put me at ease but I have this really bad feeling about it. Maybe it's woman's intuition, I mean I am a teenager at least, but there's just something off about him… Either way, he makes me feel really uneasy. Perhaps upon reflection, I shouldn't ruminate so much when common sense doesn't call for it. Then again… Maybe I need to pick up this common sense I keep reminding myself of while I'm at it. Not that this will matter since apparently I'm the only one here who is getting a bad vibe off of our one obvious human dude. I could be imagining it then, right?

"Ah. I see, we couldn't tell them since we had no idea what they were saying... So I do apologize for my sister's rudeness. She's a bit impulsive. I'm Courtney D'upre and this is Mitchel Keats. My younger sister here is Diamond…"

"Berchange. We're half-sisters." Maybe I should just be grateful that Court-house decided not to argue my choice of hastily picked last names and explanations. Why did she have to use _**that**_ nickname! I hate being called Diamond! They're cold, colorless, sharp gems that have almost no life! Okay, so they are valuable…. But that doesn't mean that I like them. I hate that nickname!

Well, whatever the giant-sized black suit of humanoid armour just said makes no fucking sense to me but they came out in this deep gravelly voice, kinda like death warmed over. I seriously hope that's a guy. I could feel the hairs standing up at a perfect ninety degree angle on my body as well as Courtney and Mitchel. It was almost like we all became statues for a bit. It felt like forever until I started to shiver as I unfroze. Yeah, I think I liked the armour better when it didn't talk.

"Lord Vader wishes for you to accompany us to a more …hospitable area." Hey! Our human guy does his job! At least I'm guessing he's supposed to be a translator, although that doesn't mean I like him all that much. Just who the hell is Lord Vader and who is piping in the horrible music? All the notes are disharmonious and there are several different songs clashing at once. My head hurts... Where did I put my pain killers? Why do Courtney and Mitchel look fine? Why is there a gigantic black suit of very scary armour that is called a lord? Are we in a feudal society or something? Hopefully not a dictatorship... or something along those lines. Why is that the ancient old fart that can speak our language smirking at me. I mean he's over thirty-looking, shouldn't he be in a nursing home somewhere? It's official, I don't like him at all. So much for my peaceful afternoon hike. So does this count as a kidnapping or missing persons case? I hate my luck... I really do. Who did I piss off today up there?

"Well, come along you three, we don't have all day." Does the translator-person guy have to seem so smug. What are we, on a schedule or something? No one told me about any damn schedule! Who gives a fuck about your fucking schedule! Why am I following these ass hats again? Oh yeah, that might have to do with the penis-helmeted white trooper people/robots following us with pointed gun thingamajigs. Yeah, that may be why. Well, Mitchel and Courtney are too, so I guess it's no big deal yet. Still, I hate this place. I hate how it smells, I hate how smug the one guy who speaks our language is, I hate everything about here. I want to go home and chocolate! Do they have chocolate here, any at all? I could use some right now... What is this ass hats name anyway? I mean we gave our names, kinda... So why don't we have our human-old fart's name? Is it some kinda top secret _I have to kill_ you shit? Oh jeez, what if it is. Nah! That shit only happens in spy shows. Of all the times for your imagination to run away with you... I don't think this is a good one for it for some _odd_ reason.

Once we finally reach our destination, the door slides open with a hiss and slides shut behind us with the same sound. The walls almost seem to be closing in now, the room we're lead to seems to be almost too small for the number of beings in it. Could this be the onset of an otherwise spontaneous bout of claustrophobia? I hope not. At least the white-robot-things are standing outside for now. There is only a small table standing against the middle of the wall opposite us with a few scattered small chairs sit around it. Several flat devices or panels are laying on it as well. They don't look at all familiar to me, maybe if I could get a better look at them, but I have never ever seen anything like this before. I really don't know what to say at this moment- However Mitchel does for once. "What are those and where are we?" He sounds skeptical about something, who knows with him. I'm skeptical of this whole place… How is this more hospitable than where we were? This place is tiny enough to induce claustrophobia in a perfectly normal person! Of all the times to wish to be normal...

"This room is a basic training center. My associates feel that it is necessary for you to learn to speak and understand the common tongue- Basic." Our human fossil speaks, and still no name. This is getting frustrating. Do I have to resort to calling him a fossil, old fart, senile, or a dinosaur when I want to speak to him? Although… Those do sound like good names to do so. It would make me feel a lot better really. But… Does this guy ever seem anything but smug and an asshole… I really don't like him.

"Great. Wonderful. So do you have a name or do we call you fossil?" Yep, I have had enough of all of this. Something about this whole place is wrong, I want to go home, and I want my chocolate. I want to know where I am, why is this place so weird, and how do we get back. Most of all, I want to know who is giving me such a bad feeling other than the armoured Lord Vader- I'm trying to ignore his presence here altogether or I'm going to have a heart attack from fear.

"Merolin, my dear, Merolin. So why don't you all have a seat while we discuss your new circumstances." Holy shit we got a name and I guessed the right accent, go me! Go me! Er... Wait a minute now, why does he still look so calm, smug as hell, and unfazed. This is not fair! Why do I have to be the only one freaking out right now? Not even Courtney or Mitchel look too worried about things. Does no one else feel the wrongness going on here... Is it just me... Am I finally cracking and going crazy? I don't want to be crazy and claustrophobic... I want to go home and eat my weight in chocolate right this second.

"I do believe I should start of by welcoming you three to the Galactic Empire. You were brought here through a slight scientific miscalculation, as were the rest of those like us. As a whole we are called Tellurians in this place. It will be in your best interests to adapt to this place since this will be your home for the rest of your lives." I could smell the slime oozing off of him as he said this with a smile, as sincere as a crocodile's tears. Rest of our lives? No! No, no, and a profoundly emphasized- for good measure- no! I refuse to accept this bullshit! I refuse it is real! This is a bad dream right? I fell off something and hit my head didn't I? Now I'm having this nightmare... Okay, I'm going to pinch myself hard and wake myself up right now. No more of this bull! I'm outta here!

The sting on my arm hurts quite a bit for what it is... Maybe using my barely existent nails for this was not such a good idea since I ended up yelping when I drew blood. Now, everyone is looking at me funny... Well, I don't know if the guy in the armour is or not; but I'm willing to bet he is behind that mask. Also, whomever composed and performed the music that seems to be coming in from all angles needs to be fired and sot repeatedly. How does anyone manage to be able to think a complete thought around here, never mind getting anything done?

Then the walking black lord said something in that indecipherable tongue. The sound of his voice still caused the hairs to stand up on their ends all along my back, neck, and arms. If I had hair on my legs still- as opposed to it having been removed- I'm sure it would be standing up as well. Still, this little factor still does not help me understand what the suit of armour said at all, although Merolin seems to know it all too well. For once, his calm and smug look seems to drop for a moment with a look that is more contemptuous if not, well, there's something behind his eyes... Anger. There's a lot of anger and resentment for a moment. I don't know what was said, but go armoured dude go! It's about time something got someone other than me for once! Er... I just wish I knew what the old fossil said back. The tone was almost unemotional, but still... Also, would someone turn off the God-damned music system! I can't think with it, especially if it gets louder!

"It seems Lord Vader will finish the explanations personally, young ones. I hope you will make this easier on yourselves by being cooperative with him. He is not as patient nor understanding as I am." The smugness was back for a moment, but only towards us. At least he is gone for now, but... Um... How in Hell are we supposed to understand what the armoured guy says? Will someone please explain this to me. Now would be a good time... Any time now.

"So how are supposed to know what he is..." And the human-translator-smug asshole leaves us with the hissing of the door sliding open and shut. Just as I had started to ask the most obvious question I could." saying. Okay, that was a lot of help... Jackass." Yeppers, being walked out on when asking a question is not something I enjoy. I swear I'm going to hit that asshole with something the next I see him. There has to be something not bolted down that is throw-able.

"M... Diamond, I don't think this is the time for being hysterical. That goes for you too Courtney. We don't really know much about where we are or about who we're with. Stop being gingers for a moment." Mitchel has gone to his _I'm in control so you two calm down_ tone. First off, Courtney seems just fine; unlike me who is starting to go crazy here. Second off, who the fuck gave you the authority to tell me what to do?

"There are ways to do so without his presence being further required. Now then, Mitchel, you are in charge of these two." Okay, my headache is much worse now. Although, at least we understood what came out from the guy in armor now. This doesn't make me feel any better though... Also, who the hell put Mitchel in charge of anything other than a band? Don't Courtney and I get a say in this matter! Why isn't Mitchel denying that last part? WHY? Today officially sucks ass.

"I see. Sit. We have a great deal to discuss about your impending future. " Okay, who does this suit of walking armour think he is... Oh yeah, he's some kinda Lord isn't he? Alright, maybe the bossy attitude makes sense there but still. What is it with people bossing me around today? That and horrible taste in background music. I hope not all of it sounds that way, I really do. Still, for some odd reason I still find myself sitting down quickly when that mask seems to look directly at me. Jeez, I left my dad back home ya know. Why am I starting to expect this to be a horrible practical joke with my dad going to show up any minute now. That has to be it! This is a prank, a horrible joke carried out way too... "You three will be judged by the Emperor himself as to where you will go and what will be done with you. It will be in your best interests to not fight him on that matter. Whatever you were before this no longer matters, you would be best advised to forget about anything of that nature. As of this moment, you are property of the Emperor and the Empire. As such, he can and will do with you as he pleases. You will keep this in mind at all times."

Interrupting jerk...Whoa. Hang on a minute there. Judged by some ass I don't even know? Property? What the bloody hell is going on in this shit hole? Don't we get a say on where we go and what happens to us? Do we look like dolls or pieces of land or something? Last I checked I was a human being in her _mostly_ right mind. I can make my own decisions thank you verra damn much! Forget being cautious, calm, and not pissing people off! "Just a minute there. Judged? Don't we get a say in what happens to us." My feet had found their way back underneath me as I heard my mouth open before the filter could kick in. "What kind of..." I felt pressure around my neck as the armored lord extended his arm and clenched his fist. Then, my body felt like it was being pushed back into the chair without its permission. My legs felt like they were going to break from the pressure. I had to sit back down. I had no choice... What just happened?

"You no longer have a say in what will happen. You do have anger in you, all of you. Good. That will come to serve you well. But you do not have control of it nor the ability to surrender to it yet, that will change depending on the Emperor's good will. Remain seated." The armored being looked us all over, almost appraisingly, for a moment. He had never moved to sit nor past raising his arm as is lowered, when his hand had unclenched it felt as if my lungs had been deprived of oxygen for way too long and couldn't get enough of it. The crushing pressure around throat faded and it was all I could do not to hyperventilate. "Now then. Let us start. You will face the Emperor in three standard weeks and five days."

My heart dropped as the monotone voice announced that. I didn't know where we were and we only had three weeks to plan an escape. This wasn't gonna be easy... But I couldn't just give up and let this just happen. I can't accept this! I can't! I'm a human being... Not someone's plaything to toss about as they wish!

"Regardless of what you think of yourselves, you are no more than servants to the Emperor from now on. He is not as forgiving as I am of such outbursts, nor as understanding of anything else. He is your master now. Resistance will be futile against him or his decisions. That is your destinies now."

I might just be crazy, but I think Vader's tone changed a little towards the end there. Could that mean… Well, it did sound a bit softer towards the end almost like... I could almost swear it sounds like he pities us or something. Still there has to be a way out of this. There has to be... Please God, help us... Help me.

**Three Standard Weeks Later…**

"You have now gotten the basics of Basic and quite a few other languages as well, my little jewel. They may decide to make you a translator after all, young Diamond. I do hope so, you will receive a kinder master if you do. I don't think you would survive the Emperor, not with how you act." The voice coming from the older man was calm and gentle, sort of like an old grandfather with his wayward grandchild. Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if that was how Aurelius saw everyone younger than himself around here... I mean, he is old enough to be one really. There is gray in his dark hair and his eyes have wrinkles around the edges. The years have started to dull the life glowing behind his hazel irises, it hasn't diminished it yet. The years have been rough on him, judging from the weathered look of his skin but he hides a heart of gold underneath that leathery hide. Although, the smile he gives on occasion doesn't do much to help him disguise it at all. He's even more lost that I am, in time and place... Or is it the other way around. He's given up the fight however, you can tell that in how slumped over his posture is at times; the posture of a defeated man. I've gotten to know more about him in these past few weeks. He's convinced I will make a good translator, to the point he's been trying harder with me more so than Courtney or Mitchel. I don't know why he's been so adamant on getting me to be excepted as a potential translator at all really. Okay, that's something of a lie there... He believes it would grant me an easier existence and a kinder handler in his eyes. It's still a death waiting to happen to me. I don't understand why he can't see that I can't just take this whole mess lying down and give up everything- my freedom, what little self respect I have, and everything I've ever believed in- without a fight.

"Aurelius, you don't need to worry so much about me, I'll be fine. I promise. Besides, you are giving my mother a run for her money in being _over-protective_. I'll find a way out of this mess yet. Maybe I'll find one for all of us, ya know." I smiled up at him, he still has a few inches on my poor _lower side of average _height. Still, it didn't do a damn thing to make him look anything but worried. I'm sure others would think he felt nothing at all from how his face was, Aurelius could be quite stoic when he wanted to be, but I could see it just above the dimming life in his expression. I wish I could just make him give one genuinely happy, carefree smile without that dimming glow. That it would be at full intensity and full of life and laughter for one moment. I bet he would look a lot younger if he did smile like that, instead of looking haggardly near the grave.

"I hate to crush your dreams my little jewel, but your time is running out quickly. I don't even think your God can help you now. My gods couldn't."

I never really know why he calls me that, his little jewel I mean. I just don't get it. He sounds sincere, _painfully_ sincere when he tells me he doesn't want to crush something about me. His voice gets that much quieter and he always reaches over to grip my shoulder in a rather paternal or grandfatherly fashion at the same time. Still he is the most comforting to be around. The music isn't as jarring around him as some of the others. Although, I'm still not sure why no one else hears it but me... Argh! Getting backtracked again... Aurelius. He makes so little sense to me when he says this. God helps those whom help themselves, or so my mother's favorite saying goes. Right? "I know I don't have much longer, just five more days. This whole situation completely and utterly sucks. I don't think I can just calmly accept the fact that something is going to be controlling me. I just can't. I would rather die, Aurelius, than live like that."

"I know my little jewel. I know. Your eyes give you away. You may appear to be docile by keeping them down cast, but your spirit is blazing its defiance in them. You will probably fool most of the others here, but you can not fool the Emperor or Vader into thinking that you are broken, defeated, or subdued. It is unfortunate that you can not fully hide it from them. Only a fool would think that someone who runs around in those _secret tunnels_ you found in the palace, yes I do know you do that little jewel, would be docile and tamed. It is impossible for you to make many moves without anyone knowing here, especially those assigned to…"

"That's it! Aurelius, you're a genius!" I didn't mean to cut him off that rudely really, it was just that well... It was an eureka moment really. I ended up throwing my arms around the old solider with a giggle of delight for a moment. The tunnels, that's it. They obviously led to parts of this place that had been abandoned for years. There had to be something in them that could help us! I had five days to find it, but I could do it!

"What? I'm a genius... Oh-no, you are not thinking about…" He did sound even more concerned than before. I didn't know it was possible until now.

"About what, teacher?" I gave him my biggest, most innocent looking smile I could muster. I might have hit upon the idea that could at least lead me to something that would save us all, even that ass-holey smug old fossil. After all, no one deserves this not even him.

"Running away. They would only find you, and you would be... I don't want that to happen to you, you are… You are… You are too young to be dead yet, at least wait a few years for you to gain a bit more skill in concealing your movements." As always- people seem to misinterpret my ingenious plans. Aurelius does mean well, he does, and I know he knows more about this galaxy than I could ever hope to, but I wish he would understand what I am trying to do without jumping to the worst possible conclusion for once. I know there's no place I could run to and hide now no matter how much I wish it were otherwise. None at all.

"AURELIUS! Don't worry, I'm not going to run. I mean where the hell could I even try to run to? Everywhere else is _**so**_ far away and I wouldn't even know how to get there. I promise, I'm not going to run.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this, little jewel."

I wish the life would not give up in his eyes... Will that be me if I fail?

**So 3 hours, 5 days later.**

Okay, I turn left here, then right, over that way, and that means I'm about at a fork. These tunnels aren't so confusing once you get the hang of them, I think. Hmmm. I wonder though, why don't the natives here use them more often. You would think they would know about them. There the fork is! Okay, if I go left here, then I go back to the main hall, but if I go right, I go to…I go to…hmmm…I don't know. Ouch! These tunnels are so confined you can't even shrug your shoulders. That hurt really hurt when I slammed my shoulder into the side wall. Maybe that's why these things are abandoned largely. Okay, no more sidetracking. Stay focused girlfriend. So let's go right. I wonder, where does this door lead to though, only one way to find out, so here we go…

"Whoa, sorry sir I didn't mean to…bump…into…you…" Okay, yeah. Not a living person. Talk about a realistic statue however. It appears I've wondered into a wax museum room or something. Make that a "statue" room of some sort, a metallic-plastic "statue" room. Well, whatever they are made of, it sure isn't wax. Wait a sec, most of these things look like they've been mutilated in some form or another. This one has its eyes gouged out, while that one's arm is cut off. Hmm. The edge looks really smooth, almost like it was melted off or seared off. There's two more statues in that corner over there. They look like they're in good shape, too. I'd better check them out. Okay, one of these babies looks like a girl ...Er…a woman, a teenager ? She also looks like she had dyed black-haired with blonde roots; her eyes also really do look like a light blue, very bright light blue. She must have been pretty cocky to boot as well. Well, who ever this was modeled after was any way. Hey! Is that a book down there by her left foot? What's it doing there? This floor is really not too comfy. Ouch, oh my poor knee. Alright, upsy dais…

"OW!"

I really should learn not to rise up so fast, ooh, my poor aching head. What is that metal thingie on her left foot, now that I think of it. Oh well, here we go again. Hmm. It appears to be a plaque of some sorts, a name plaque. Time to translate basic, okay it says, N. Allura McVerin- pilot. Well… I guess that explains the attitude, so who's next to her. Okay, this one is a guy, also blonde hair, blue eyes, and enough attitude to give her a run for her money. Hmm. His says, Anakin Skywalker-general, I wonder if they knew each other…Why does his name seem familiar, like I've ran across somewhere recently? I feel as if it is important and I should know what it means, but I can't remember it. Argh, this is just so frustrating, I could just scream. Well, I nearly forgot about the book. So what is its name anyway. It says... Jeez, this book is dusty as hell. When was the last time someone dusted back here I wonder. Ah, dammit. The words of the title are smudged beyond recognition. It looks like a journal or diary to me. I wonder if anything in it would help explain anything about this place. So what do you have hidden in you oh wondrously old normal looking journal? I hope I can read you...

**2 hours later**

"…_then in order to save the fight for another day, you can save part of your personality and knowledge in a 'mental room'. However, you will have to sacrifice part of yourself to do this. Poor Ulic, if he only knew…_"

I keep turning the pages even though I'm just barely able to read this diary. Maybe if I could understand more of it I would know whom was Ulic? The pages have a musty smell and feel rather fragile to the touch. It makes one wonder... Well Allicia, when are you from anyway…UH-OH! I have all of thirty minutes before they start to search for me. That wouldn't be good for me at all at this rate. I'd better, excuse the pun, _**book**_ it. Although thanks, whomever you were Allicia, you may have helped me after all. You'll have to get over the giddy giggling. Although, I wish I knew what was up with the statues in this place. They still don't make any sense to me. Where they of real people or where they... Whoops! Almost left without the journal. I probably had better keep this with me and hide it somehow. Surely there's a place they wouldn't search around here... Right?

**45 minutes later**

Okay, left here and... Well, I'm lost. Dammit, I'm really, really dead now. Of all the times to not have a sense of direction. The only thing I could do was rub the bridge of my nose while I leaned against the wall on the right side of me. It was still a tight fit but I could only yelp when the wall started to give way under my weight. Causing my usual _graceful _or should I have said my usual lacking in the grace department self to fall flat on her side and ass with a solid thunk against the floor. The pain was sharp enough to radiate for a moment as tears started to well up. I'm going to die a bruised lump, that absolutely sucks.

"There you are Diamond, we had just started to look for you. You known you are slated to go before the Emperor soon." I look up to see a group of the stormtroopers around me. Surprisingly enough, I had managed to get to know some of them pretty well. They aren't so bad once you get to know them I guess... Although some are still asses, others are cool. Just like with everyone I assume. At least this group is one I had managed to get to know... Just how long ago had they started... I swallowed hard before speaking as I stood up gingerly. I still have to wonder how people manage to stand speaking this Basic shit all the time. It's really hard for me to translate on the fly ya know..."I know, Lieutenant, I know. I was just… Well..."

"Wandering around and got lost. You shouldn't be in this part of the palace you know. You, escort Ms. Berchange back to the Tellurian quarters." I closed my eyes when he cut me off quickly. I am so... "We started looking for you before it got too late. I wouldn't worry about it past that. We will see you after it is done."

I could only give them a small smile for the last part, apparently they had gotten to know me too well. I guess Aurelius was right when he said it was impossible to move around in this place and not have someone know where you were. It took everything I had to keep from sighing. Not to be a defeatist now, but I don't know if I found anything that could help Courtney, Mitchel, or myself just now... This might have been. No! I won't think like this... You never know until you try!

**Two Hours Later**

I do not know what the big hurry was to get here earlier, we just ended up waiting almost nearly two whole hours before we were brought to see the most wrinkly old man I have ever seen in my life. I also, have never felt colder in my life as well. The hooded robe all but hid everything other than his eyes, chin, and nose yet those were enough to give him the impression of a venomous snake about to strike at its unsuspecting prey. My headache feels like it is becoming a migraine almost, with the pressure coiling around my skull and trying to rip it wide open. It's all I can do to stand right now, I can't even look around to see what is happening. It's like this for many agonizing hours... It might have been moments, but it felt like eternities really. The first thing I could register other than the sound of Courtney's and Mitchel's panicked breathing as well as the even respirations from Lord Vader getting further away was the sounds of footsteps walking a bit away. Slips of a conversation came towards us, although it took another eternity feeling moment to identify the voices as Vader's and the Snake's.

"Very well, these Tellurians shall be left in your care Lord Vader. But, be wary of that girl. There is something strange about her. Something …unusual …"

"Strange, my master?"

"Yes, keep a close eye on her. I cannot..."

The quiet claimed their voices as they had walked away a good bit. I don't know who the Snake was referring to, maybe I should warn Courtney. I don't want her to get hurt... I really don't. I closed my eyes tightly when I heard footsteps coming back. I would rather be anywhere but here right now, the music is absolutely horrifying even compared to itself. The notes couldn't be even more jarring than before or louder. It completely caused me to miss the footsteps re-approaching us and the next words out of the Snake's mouth caused me to jump nearly to the ceiling of this library sized room.

"You _Tellurians_ are now under Lord Vader's control, now leave. I do not wish to see your faces for some time." The condescension in his voice was palpable even over the God-awful music. As if we were lesser life-forms underneath his foot- like a trio of ants. At that moment I knew that I would have rather been killed that stuck underneath the Snake, the so-called Emperor. I would have cut my own tongue out before calling him master. As it was, I would rather bite my own tongue to death than call anyone that, but especially that Snake. I will die before I ever call him anything of such power. My relief grew as we left that room, the only time I have been grateful to hear the click of the door closing behind me. Although my trepidation grew afterwards as Vader started to explain what was going to happen to us.

"You three will be put under a strong hypnotic control, like the other channels I _'supervise._' However, Hetheir will make sure that you will stay out of trouble, channels, as well as my other students. They will be seeing to your continual training." His voice was the same near monotone as usual, only it had an almost clipped sound underneath it. Like what he was saying was distasteful to him, or he found us distasteful. I'm not exactly sure which it was. Although, why are we being put under a _'strong hypnotic control'_ and what the fuck does he mean by channels?

Why did it get so cold all of a sudden? Courtney and Mitchel don't seem to be cold at all. Then why am I shivering? Why do I feel so light-headed all of a sudden? This is not good.


	2. Learning v2

**Running the Gauntlet**

**Part II: Learning**

This is not good. My legs honestly start to feel like they're made out of rapidly melting ice. I'm almost sure that rubber is way more stable than I am right now. Courtney and Micheal only seem a little woozy, and Vader, of course, isn't affected in the least bit. I wonder if he's causing this…s…AGH! My head is really beginning to pound now. Ow! I think I know that migraine is back with vengeance now. It's like someone is poking around in my mind and trying to tear it apart. How the hell do I get who ever it is outta there and heal it? I can't focus on anything else but the pain, it just won't go away. Nothing I do is making it stop... God please make it stop. I can't take much more of this. I'm losing myself to the pain: I'm losing my mind. Please, God, please if there was just something to make it... Hold up a minute there... I do remember reading something about blocking part of your mind away in a '_mental room'_ of sorts. It sounds all yoga-like metaphysical new age fantasy type meditation figurative language, but maybe... What's going on here, what's happening to me? It now feels like I'm on fire, why can't I concentrate? Ah the hell with all this, what do I have to lose at this rate? Maybe it'll be some kind of out of body experience and it might just be mind over matter. Alrightie then. Going to happy place now and locking the door. What else do I have to lose? Oh well, here goes nothing. Maybe I'll pass as _docile_ if I'm spacing out or something. Breathe in. Breathe out. Ignore the stabbing pain... Ignore the pain. You can do it. No, I can... Yes I can. Come on. Come on.

"She's not responding well to the hypnosis, Lord Vader. She seems to be fighting it." This is not helping me meditate here, trying to translate what they're saying. Come on brain start trying to filter it out, it's all gibberish. Happy place remember? Time to go to happy place.

"Hetherir, that is not of your concern right now. The channel is under your tutelage now. You're only concern is to teach her how to "channel" the dark side. It should be a challenge for you."

Ignore it Di, ignore it. Don't pay them any mind, try and prove you have the ability to focus even in extreme pain. Happy place, go to happy place. The place where no one can hurt you like this, even if you don't know how they are... No! Don't lose focus. Stay calm. Happy place. Happy place.

"Then whose concern is it, Lord Vader? You can not just let her get away with this."

"Hetherir, that is no one's concern. Different channels respond to hypnosis in different ways. The Emperor, himself, even realized she had the potential to be a problem **if** we didn't break her in now. I believe you are up to the challenge, are you not.?"

"Yes, I am Lord Vader. Forgive my questioning of your orders."

Almost there, almost. The pain is subsiding slowly... I feel light and safe, the voices are far away. The music has such a sweet sound to it, harmonious but still a bit longing. Just like some of the more calming sonatas written for pianos and violins. It's enveloping me in its comfort, I'm safe now. The pain is gone and I can barely recall it ever happened. There's something to this meditation stuff after all it seems. Still, I wish I could go home. I miss my mother, I miss home cooked meals, I miss everything. I wanna go home... Diamond isn't my name... It's...

**Two weeks later**

These past two weeks have felt like I've been stuck in a daze really. Everything around doesn't seem real at all. Well, not completely real at least. Sure, I get enough done to not be killed and attempt some vain attempt at usefulness, but I fail more often in that attempt that Courtney or Mitchel. I'm starting to wonder if there is something defective about me. I don't seem to want to comply as much as they do with Hetherir's training, nor do find myself jumping to assist them at every turn. Instead, I find my thoughts waver and travel to other places; travel to other people and a beautiful place with music that could make your soul cry in joy and longing. I don't think I'm really here with everyone else. I miss Aurelius however. He always seemed to know when something was bothering someone, he also seems to genuinely care about something other than himself. Mitchel has been becoming so closed off lately it scares me, and Courtney... Courtney's been acting more aggressive and cold lately herself. I feel like I'm all alone, except for that one beautiful place. My whole body aches when I feel like this and I seem to lose the ability to stand up on my own two feet for a moment unless I use something to hold myself up. Still, this is probably why I have been summoned to see Lord Vader. I just hope I haven't displeased him. That tends to be lethal.

My mouth feels dry as I walk up to the door that separates his quarters from the rest of us in the halls. Well, here goes nothing. I try to keep calm as my life flashes before my eyes-except it's not my life that I see. There are so many images spinning in my head as I walk through the door that opens with a slithering hiss of a click. My voice somehow doesn't fail me as I look up to see the darkly armoured figure of Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith and my current keeper. I am told I should say my master but those words sour in my throat. "You summoned me, Lord Vader?"

"Yes. Tell me how your studies under Hetherir have been progressing." He sounds monotone as ever with his respirator hissing between his breathes and pauses. Everything about him would suggest an automaton, except I keep feeling that in his subtle inflections there's a human being trapped underneath in some moments. Werther or not I would wish to know the man, I don't know. I don't know if it is even my place to be thinking this at all. I'm merely a... I am just merely a... I'm just me and it's probably not my place to be thinking this. Still I just wish I could get through a day with out migraines.

"Well, I'm afraid that I'm a rather disappointing pupil for Lord Hetherir, sir. I don't really seem to even be able to channel for him. However, I have picked up a few more languages, so I should be able to be of some use soon." This feels weird. Just saying this as a fact makes me want to…to…oh, I don't know. It makes me want to throw up or something. But why? Why do I feel that every part of my existence rejects this? It's like I don't want to be of _**any**_ use to them at all...

"Do not fear about your usefulness. You will be adequate for my purposes soon. Focus harder on Hetherir's lessons for the time being." I don't get it. Why did Lord Vader switch to Inglish all of a sudden? It just doesn't make sense, but I feel more comfortable than when I am conversing with him in this tongue. If I didn't know better I would even say that sounded kinder than how he usually speaks to me. Still, I can't focus any harder on those lessons than I already do. I feel like I'm being ripped into pieces every single time. How am I supposed to overcome that? "You may leave now child."

With that, what am I supposed to do but ob... comply. Dismissals rarely get more obvious than that and I'm quite lucky to even be alive right now really. It hurts. "Yes sir." My feet tread on towards the door as it opens, for once I feel a slight faint speck of a spark warmth in the building. It leaves as quickly as I came but... I don't feel afraid of Lord Vader right now. Normally he would terrify me, but that has been lessening as time goes on. Maybe I'm just getting used to it as the days go on. I do seem to go about in a daze after all, it probably is just starting to register less and less. I know I have some potential to use the Force, or so I'm told, but it doesn't seem to be very strong in me at all. I can no longer hold in a sigh while wincing as the door slides shut behind me; locking me out into the hallway. Something is wrong with me.

Maybe I should go talk to Aurelius. Even if Lord Vader had instructed me to concentrate on my lessons in using and channeling the Force... I'm not very good at it. It would make more sense to concentrate a bit more on an area I have some hope in... Besides, I miss talking with Aurelius and he could probably help me with an old journal I found in a jacket pocket. It could be interesting at least.

**12 days later**

I've almost completely translated this journal, it took some time but it is a very interesting read. Apparently Ancient Basic has a slightly different word base than the current Basic, although the writer wrote in a hodgepodge dialect of Ancient Basic and Ancient Tetan. Definitely not something you see everyday. Strangely enough, I had an easier time deciphering the Ancient Tetan than the Basic still. Hn. Why is it so hard for me to get only the most used language here while I can learn the more obscure ones with a measure of relative ease? This makes no sense what-so-ever really. Ugh! There go those headaches again, why do they keep... Keep coming without rhyme nor reason.. This is most definitely worse than the others I've been having for the past three weeks. I wish I could see straight, I wasn't prone to migraines before I came here. Man, the light seems so bright, yet so comforting, like I've been trapped in the dark for way too long… It's only just a reading lamp too boot. Who have I pissed off up...

The fire splitting my brain intensifies as the door slithers open and shut with its sibilantly hissing clicks. Even if it is just a noise, I just can't stand it. The voice splitting the resulting silence adds on even more layers of pain for a moment.

"Diamond, what are you doing…oh. Another headache?" Courtney's voice sounds like it used to, some what casual and almost a hint of dying warmth in the tone. Still, I would be fooling myself to think this was just because of some undecipherable need to check in on her cousin and friend. That never happens any more in this place. How can anyone survive this type of environment without dying inside I don't know. But I still must be alive for it to hurt.

"Yeah, Courtney. Another headache, but this one is worse than before." My voice is soft and haggard sounding, even to myself. The music threatening to engulf it before it can be heard beyond its conflicting notes that are both jarring at times, then comforting and soothing at others. Either way, the jarring notes plus my pain keep me from noticing her footsteps and movement as she comes up behind me. Thus it was her hands on my shoulders that kept me from jumping up to the ceiling when she placed them there. Her weight was comforting and emanated the very warmth that seemed to be leaching out of her personality.

"Interesting book, are you translating it? I haven't seen many books around here lately, they all seem like holographs or something." Distant curiosity rings throughout her words, she must be in a more contemplative mood right now. I wonder how long this will last, I don't want to be on the receiving end of another switch of her moods. The last one left me coming out with both a bruised back as well as what little ego I have being nearly devastated to non-existence.

"Yeah, I'm translating it Courtney. I really don't remember exactly where I found it. It has a fascinating basis however." I couldn't keep all of my excitement out of my voice as I craned my neck up to look her in the eyes as much as possible. My smile refused to recede or repress itself willing past a curving of my lips as the migraine began to subside. For the briefest of moments I almost thought I was losing my mind further as the room seemed to light up a barely perceptible amount. Maybe there was a power fluctuation? "Do you recognize any of this?"

Her eyes fell cold as she looked down on me. "You are aware if you spent half of this focus on improving yourself as you do translating _some old diary_ you found, you wouldn't be so far behind me with Lord Hetherir and his lessons." The lighting must have corrected itself since it seemed to dim after that. I tried to keep the pain out of my expression, I really did try to at least. Still, she must have noticed it since she bent down enough to glance at the page I was on. "No, I don't recognize any of it really except for a few basic words. I'm surprised you can read this knowing how much you struggle with Basic." Her grip did tighten on my shoulders for a moment before she rested her forehead against the top of my head. "Your emotions still show in your eyes too much, and on your face. Diamond, you can't be like this and do well here. They'll chew you up and spit you out if you stay like this." It was a tenderness I wasn't expecting, almost as if there was a reason and worrying concern behind her actions. I hope my back can survive this without too much pain.

I ended lowering my gaze as I felt her arms slide around my shoulders into a slightly off-balanced hug. I ended up squeezing her left hand as I squished my eyes tightly shut to keep from crying as the pain in my head continued to ebb and increase. Her voice did soften a great deal when she straightened up. "You should go see a medical 'droid about those headaches again. They may find a cause this time." I nodded my agreement to her statement, since my voice had become to chocked up to speak. I could hear the softness of her footsteps as she headed towards the door and left without a sound other than that of a slitheringly annoying click.

I rubbed my temples to try and massage the splitting pounding of my blood vessels to cease in my head. The light seemed to still be fluctuating, but I could no longer hold in the sobbing that wanted to break free. I was alone, there was no one to see or hear me cry. It wasn't safe to let anyone see that even if it was something I couldn't stop. The loneliness and emptiness were overbearing and unbearable at times, although it wasn't that for once. I didn't feel so adrift in this place for one moment. The looming darkness of loneliness banished behind the fluctuating lights instead of trying to engulf everything in its path here. I don't know how long I cried, but my migraine had subsided when I finished. Although I ended up falling asleep where I sat afterwards.

**A few hours later**

Well, few people end up waking up with their head using both their arms and the book they were working on as pillows anymore around here I'd imagine. That is exactly how I ended up coming to. Miraculously enough the journal wasn't damaged more than a few splotches on the outside of the pages. The pounding in my head had subsided substantially, making the nap quite worth it. The light fluctuation seemed to have settled out but in favor of making the room seem a bit brighter than before. I'm not complaining since my head is actually cooperating enough to allow me to try and read what I've translated, a miracle in itself. I'm not sure how it happened, but this room somehow manages to seem a bit warmer as well, maybe just another side effect of the power fluctuating earlier. To be honest, I am actually looking forward to just being able to read this without having to stop every five minutes to figure out a new word. The woman who wrote it seems rather interesting. It would be an easy journal to lose oneself in for a while.

_"…then in order to save the fight for another day, you can save part of your personality and knowledge in a 'mental room.' However you will have to sacrifice part of yourself to do this. Poor Ulic, if he only knew about this, he might have been able to defeat that Sith poison they put in him and that war might have been less severe, and Cay would still be here."_

This whole journal seems to be the life of a smuggler who apparently dealt a lot with Jedi- so that's what they were like. I wonder... Who were Ulic and Cay? What war could have been less severe? What would it have been like to have been there? Oh well, it's just a book. Not like it is going to start talking to me other than what it says... She loved him greatly, and he loved someone else. Some things just aren't meant to be I guess. Although, now that I think about it... This passage seems familiar, like I've read it before or… I must just remember it from translating it earlier. It is a sad story, bitter sweet but sad in places. Allie does sound like she was a meditative type surprisingly enough from some of her advice in here, oddly enough it doesn't fit with the mental picture I am developing of her. But obviously no-one is so two-dimensional that they can't grow and change with exposure to other ways. Maybe it was something she had heard from those around her. I might have to try it the next time I get one of those migraines and have to endure a lesson with Hetherir. Couldn't hurt to try right? So what else happened to you Urchin...

_"…it is said that the Jedi can heal most common injuries, but the healers say that most of the healing comes from within a being, they just hurry the process along…"_

**Three days later**

It was nice to get a chance to just finish reading about someone's life on paper and not a computer. There were so many things that she saw, and how she had this cocky front she showed the world... I could never do something like that. I wouldn't be able to keep it up, I'm not confident or skilled enough to pull it off. Although, my head has been clearing up these past few days as I read along side her. I'm not completely sure why that is. Maybe it is all the meditation exercises she had mentioned. Some of them were from a more Jedi origin; Jedi were supposedly fairly calm most of the time according to their reputation- well what little of it I could glean from her. Supposedly so calm that the forest grew right up ones ass and kept you in the clouds. I think I would have adored her had I actually ever gotten to met her. Allie made me laugh for the first time in my stay here. I actually feel more like myself and less out of it, maybe the laughter removed the fog from my mind. I know why I feel irritated when Hetherir orders us to harm each other or some other living thing. I know why it causes me to wince when they order me around period. I know why I can't even admit some things to myself, then or now. I don't like this situation we're in, and I wish there was a way to change it... But I would have to be able to change the universe and it is not like I know anyone attempting that. I have snooped around enough to find out that there are others like me out there- but I have no way of getting in contact with them.

I truly do not like the hissing sound of the clicking doors. I never thought I'd miss the sound of squeaky hinges, though. I wonder who'd be in such a hurry to seek me out here. This is the closest place I've found that has actual plants thriving and growing. Maybe it's not anyone interested in finding me, they may want to relax amongst the flowers and plants as well. No need to be paranoid or conceited just yet. "You are Berchange, right." A brisk voice cuts across the tranquility of this one heavenly sanctuary I've found in this cold mechanical city. I looked up to see who had been speaking to me, when I started to feel quite a bit inferior to the woman looking me over as if I were being evaluated. She has a head of red hair I would kill to have naturally, green eyes that could stop someone at twenty paces as efficiently as a riffle- currently I am living proof of this, and is taller than me. Figures, most people are taller than me anyhow. She's after something from me it seems, I wonder what it is and why she felt she had to come bother me here. I'm not these people's lapdog; despite what they think.

"Yes, I'm Diamond. It's only what you people have been calling me lately." My own voice somehow remains steady, even if I can never quite manage to hide all of the irritation I feel towards some of the more arrogant beings around here. I am no one's slave nor property. I forced myself to move out of the paralysis that had settled into my limbs and held her gaze as strongly as I could. I would show no fear to these beings, nor would I show the aggression they seemed to desire. Perhaps this was my first big mistake as her expression changed from intensely analyzing to a thinly disguised sneer of disdain.

"I have heard you can translate some obscure languages Tellurian." Her voice was cold and flat, although her eyes were lively. Filled with ever changing emotions, she like the others who tried and bossed around those like me, were as far from the dying eyes of a majority of the Tellurians. Disdain would normally make a woman with a lithe build such as hers look horribly ridiculous. On her, it only made her more statuesquely pretty.

"Yes, I can to a degree. but why would that interest…" My blood starts to boil with how dismissive she is about things to cut me off when I'm trying to figure her out. Still, I suppose there's not much I can do with her here right in my face... Er, personal space really.

"I need for you to translate this text for me. I need it to be done in the next three hours and none of the 'droids seem to be able do it." Okay, so it is beyond a translator droid's ability and she expects me to be able to decipher this thingamabob. This makes absolutely no fucking sense what so ever! Still I have to be nice... Despite the fact that Red over here has the personality of a rabid junkyard guard dog.

"Okay, what kind of text is it? Do you have any clue as to what language it may be in, I don't know that many languages yet." Okay, attempt to ferret out information continues. Maybe I might just get half a clue on what the hell I'm dealing with here. I don't know if I like the sound of this. My suspicions on not liking this situation were proven right on target when the almost Amazonianly tall and muscled woman grabbed me roughly by my arm and started to yank me along behind her as the door slid open and closed quickly behind us. Damn thing nearly closed on my heel.

"The base language is obscure so I don't. The droids couldn't decipher or identify it either. You will accomplish this in three hours Berchange. No excuses." Her pace was brutally fast as I struggled to keep up with her. It was either that or she would end up dragging me along even more than she already was and my poor right arm would have been even more wrenched and screwed up than it will be just trying to keep up with her. That would cause even more problems since I'm right-handed and all. Hetherir is even worse than she is. The ordeal is thankfully over after what feels like hours, although the clocks suggest it has only been twenty minutes. At this point in time, I am tossed into an abandoned room that only has a table with a chair in it. There is a large box on the table that seems almost rusted with age and decay. I look back over at her as I straightened back up on to get a sneering glare of disdain in return. "Three hours Berchange." With that spartan statement, she spun on her heel and left me all alone as the door clicked behind her and I could hear the faint plucking in of a code from the other side of the wall.

Well, wasn't that sweet of her. She just locked me in here with a big ol' heavy box here for me to lug around and investigate. She never really did answer my questions about what it was she needed translated other than some text, so I might as well see what's in this ol' box. It seems to be a made of metal, although prying the lid off will take some time. Splendid, today officially joins the shitty days of the past few weeks.

It takes about forty minutes for me to pry the lid off by myself. Blood spots down my fingers where the crowbar had forced some of my nails to bend upwards. That hurt more than the scratches and scrapes I have along the rest of my hands, wrists, and fore arms from the edges of that lid. It takes a moment to climb up on the table itself to see what is inside of this giant iron coffin. One stone-looking tablet seems to be laid out in the center of a circle of twelve triangular-based pyramid crystalline and metallic shaped objects. That's odd, very odd. Well, I can't read anything or see any text with it in that overgrown luggage. This is going to hurt, a lot.

It takes nearly as long to get the tablet out of the box as it did to get the lid off of the box. It is a heavy item, but still it's slightly lighter than I thought it would be. Welpers, it seems to be time to play archaeologist. Maybe if worse comes to worse I can throw one of the pyramids at her. Might make me laugh for all of a second anyways. Although I will bet that the droid didn't even look inside that box judging from the fact it took damn near forever to get that lid open and this thing out.

So where is this text that needs to be... What in the world is going on here? There's writing carved into the tablet alright. It's an older dialect but I would know that language anywhere... It's Inglish. Why would Red the bitch need a tablet written in Inglish for? Curiouser and curiouser as we go. _"This stone is the key to the disks. I planned it out this way so that the information would remain safe. The safety of this information is now in you charge. May the Force be with you and may God watch over you."_ That's a curious inscription alright. What could be stored in those pyramid disks that is so important. Only one way to find out, that is to figure out how this damnable thing works!

**A half-hour later**

I only a few more minutes to figure this puzzle out. Okay, so what do we know... The pyramid things I'm looking at are disks. This stone is the key to these disks. How is it a key to the disks…Could there be a note hiding somewhere to tell you how to access the disks. Maybe there's a code or something on the back! It's worth a try anyway. Alright, I'm feeling an indention on the back here. There's a recession there. I wonder what will happen if I press in it… What is this note doing in here? I think I did it.

_"…Congratulations. You have cracked the stone's puzzle. It's a bit archaic, but this is the best I can do right now, I'm afraid. The recession is a disk player which will load the text and secrets onto a screen of your choosing. Just point the small triangle at any screen and you will see it my friend."_

Well, lets just see if this guy was telling the truth. Well, here we go. Waitta sec, shouldn't that be here I go, but…Oh well, who cares. Little triangle pointing at the screen on portable datapad and…Whoa! That guy really was telling the truth. Is that a map on the screen? It is. It's a map to…to the Valley of the Jedi? Why would that lady need this for her mission…Opps! Someone's opening the door, I'd better hide this.

"Have you had any success in decoding the tablet, Berchange."

"You're early. Very little, the language is a dialect of an almost extinct language. It's taking a great deal of time to understand what it is saying. I never really caught your name before, so what is it?"

"I didn't tell you my name before. I need the information in that package soon."

"I was wondering, why do you need this information for your mission, why is it so important? So far, it talks a lot about keys and a war."

"That is not necessary for you to know, I just need it translated soon."

I don't know how, but somehow I managed not to die just then. That was close. What does the red-head want with this though, I don't see how it could be of any use to her…Unless, she was after the location of that valley. If that is the case, then I can't let her get her hands on that disk. Okay, I'll just have to load the rest of the information on my laptop, and then get rid of the map holding disks. This is gonna take a while. Well, what little time I have left. Maybe I should just smash some of the disks in the box. It could take time to realize what was what. I just hope I get this done in time...

The next few minutes felt as if I were moving at speeds that were alien to me, but I finally got it done. I never thought I would finish transferring all of that information in time. I even managed to place the disks back and shatter a few just enough that they are unusable. I tested the theory out myself. She locked me in here, came back early to check on my progress, and treats me like some indentured servant. It would be really stupid to think that she hadn't counted the number of the pyramids earlier, and I am kinda trying to pull the wool over her eyes. Take that imperial guard dog, I don't take this shit lying down. I have figured out a way to fight back.

I was ready when the door slid open and closed after a quick press of buttons deafened me slightly. My insistent watch dog was back. I didn't turn to look at her, but I could hear the falls of her footsteps. She wasn't trying to hide her approach. "Have you finished translating that tablet yet." It took everything  
I had not to go '_Yes, ma'am commando drill sergeant ma'am.'_ back at her. Talk about being bossy.

"Yes, I have Red. But, it is a little obscure in it's meaning." I looked over my shoulder at her as I said this, noting two larger guys coming in to grab the box that had been in here when I was so unceremoniously dumped in here. I had managed to place everything back barely before they got here. Dear God, please let me pull this off.

"A little obscure." Judging by the look on her face, she suspects something is up. I'm in deep shit if she doesn't buy this. Please, please, please let her at least not recognize what the language actually is.

"Well, it says the tablet is the key to the disks. I haven't quite figured out what that means yet. Maybe you will. Anyway, the box is right over there with all the disks. Here's the best translation I could get off of the tablet. Have fun with it Red." I handed her a scribbled on piece of paper with an incomplete version of the instructions on it. May it be a pain in your ass.

"Red." I think I offended her a bit with that one. At least her tone sounds like I have hit a small nerve. I don't know what or how, but I will take it.

"Red. I don't know what else am I supposed to call you. I don't even know your name since you never gave it." It was as calm as I could, but still it felt like her eyes were peering into my young and inexperienced soul. I have never tried to trick anyone like her before- especially over something like this. If I can manage to pull this off and not die, I swear I will never do anything like this again. I don't have nerves of steel or any such things to keep me from flubbing up. My face is too open and gives me dead away. I can only hope she believes it's because I'm scared she's going to kill me for not finding out more information.

"_Y_ou're sure you didn't figure out about what '_the tablet being a key' _meant." Her demeanor is cold, and focused. But the emotion and open suspicion is there. I don't know if I can do this, she's way too good for me to even hope to out bluff her for much longer. I'm dead if she finds out, I can tell that much from how she seems to palm something at her side. I don't know what is there, but I doubt it will help my continued existence any.

"Yes, it's still a mystery to me." If she buys this lame line, I have beach front property in the middle of a landlocked desert I can sell her. The two men with her seem to believe me, but she seems skeptical. Fuck I knew I would screw this up... Why did I think I could hide something like this from such a...

"Take that box out of here. I will be keeping an eye on you Berchange. Get out of my sight." I don't know how I didn't die this time as I all but kept myself from running from Red. My clip was a faster walk than usual, but the more distance I have between her and myself the better. My heart won't stop racing until I have at least a building between me and that woman.

Although, I had the strangest thought I've had since ending up in this place. Something more akin to what I was before, something coming back to me... That went better than expected. I think I will try that again sometime. A girl has to fight back however she can right?

_Author Notes and Review Replies: ./topic/21148-gem-games-arc-author-notes-and-review-responses/_


	3. Frightened Deception

**Running the Gauntlet**

**Part III: Frightened Deception**

My heart won't stop pounding, I can't stop it. That was the closest I have been to death in my life and instead of being as completely terrified and frozen as I thought I would be, I was terrified but part of me felt itself come back to life. The sounds around me and everything in that room seemed so clear and obvious that I couldn't miss a single thing. To top it all, I didn't die! I didn't die! No bruises- other than for sore, cut, and bloodied fingers, arms, and forearms from the box and the smashed stones. I also couldn't stop myself from starting to skip and turn around a bit childishly while unceremoniously, deliriously giggling. I figured it was allowed after such a moment. I could feel my hair flap against the back of my neck before accidentally plowing into someone- a rather solid someone from the best I could tell from how the impact felt. At least whoever it was had kept me from falling, but they hadn't removed their hands from my arms either. There was nothing soft to have been found as I turned around either- although he apparently decided he wasn't going to let me back up from him either since he just changed his grip to maintain a hold on the top of my arms near the shoulders. The guy I all but broke my back running into had only been knocked back a step or two maybe at most. Quite frankly, he was rather ordinary looking almost, except for the intensely cold gaze that seemed to look down only a few inches at me, I think they were brown... maybe green. Whoever he was, he had to have been the first guy I had seen under 5'11" in a while.

"You should watch where you are going." He had a calm voice, nothing that would draw much attention to himself other than the assertive, almost obnoxiously authoritative tone it had. Whatever it was, it seemed to suit his expression. I think the hair on the back of my neck stood on edge as the God-awfully composed music went atonally haywire for a moment then returned to a more minor key in the base clef. It had a creepy sound, but not so overpowering. Fuck, the music made me miss part of what the guy said too. Dammit. I hope it was nothing major. Although, he did seem look almost smug for a moment as the corners of his mouth curved up slightly as his grip turned tighter and nearly crushed my arm bones while popping my shoulders out of socket! "You are a lively one aren't you ingenue. You hear it, don't you."

Those pithy words were clearly stated in Inglish. I couldn't have mistaken it if I tried... The accent wasn't even that far from my own either. I think I was too shocked and absolutely stunned out of my skin to say anything in return, or even figure out what the hell he was talking about. But the thing that stopped me the most was the fact that his eyes weren't dead. They blazed intensely with such a coldness that I felt frozen in place and started to nearly suffocate as the loss of figurative heat chilled so thoroughly that even my organs were starting to fail. That's when I saw his smirk. It could have been nothing else but one... He just felt wrong- but almost didn't at the same time. I am officially confused again. What else is new...

"Pay attention little girl, you wouldn't want to cause an incident now would you. Or would you..." With that statement, the mysterious ass-hat switched back to basic and walked around me as if he didn't have the time of day for someone like me. At least he finally decided to stop trying to wrench my arms out of their sockets! My shoulders and arms feel like a walking bruise right now! Just who the fuck does that asshole think he is? I oughta... I oughta... Where the hell did he go? Sonuva bitch, I blinked and he disappeared.

I think I stood there like an idiot trying to figure out which way the pompous jackass went for a while. To be honest, I think I forgot to pay attention to my surroundings period since I seemed to miss when the hallways became more crowded around me. Maybe not the brightest thing to do when you've just been in such a run-in. Then again, I've never been known for doing the smart thing so to speak. At least around here, most of the _important_ people are going to be more interested in other things such as looking more competent than those around them, being more awe-inspiring than those they surround themselves with, and getting towards where they needed to be before too much time had past by than paying attention to what those _beneath_ them do. Maybe this isn't such a good thing or is it? I dunno anymore. I just don't know, but my arms are hurting worse instead of less as this goes on. Did he break a bone or something? I hate this place. I hate it. I hate the people who walk around so _high and mighty_ here, the God-awful background music that pipes in at the worst possible times, the horrifically auto-dimming lights, the fact that the heating system seems to fail systematically and lets everything start to freeze, the fact that the computers are a pain in the ass and everywhere, the noise the doors make when they close, and everything! Most of all, I hate the fact that I'm stuck here. I hate it. I want my life back! There has to be a way out of this hellhole. I refuse to give in. I refuse. I don't know who that asshole was, but he was the first person I saw who didn't look like he was dying... Not a reassuring thing considering. I don't want that to be me. I'd die first before I became like that.

"Diamond, what are you doing here? We've been looking all over for you, and believe me, that's no small feat when it comes to you." I jumped as I heard that over a faint treble and base clef melody. I knew the cold voice that tried to maintain some compassion for a moment,Courtney. She must have sneaked up behind me while I was stewing or I was just fuming so hard that I didn't even notice her coming up in the hall. Although it is a fairly crowded and busy hall. I could hear the chill out of her tone and gaze before I saw it. I think that made it just worst as I looked up to see it in her face as well. I've never gotten used to be looked over so clinically and coolly like a tiger's next victim. "Well... Why are you just spacing out here in this hall _**sulking**_ like a small child when we have training to go to. Stop gawking like a toddler and get a move on, we have fifteen standard minutes to cross this complex and get to the training facility. Maybe you could finally prove you're capable of learning something this time." her voice had lost all warmth at that moment as she speared me with her eyes. I don't know what she saw as she looked at me, I dunno if I want to.

"Sulking? I wasn't sulking at all, just thinking. I mean, for such a _technologically superior civilization_ why can't they keep a heating source working? That's all." I know I must of sounded huffy when her gaze became a glare. Well, I just dealt with the ass-hat master of glares so I'm not freezing up anymore now. I just ended up tilting my head up to let her see that- defiantly meeting her glare with my own pitiful determination not to cave in more. I just looked death in the face and survived! I am not letting you or that ass hat bring that down for a minute. All I ended up doing as the minutes went on was just pissing her off more, if her expression was anything to go by. It darkened into an almost furious twitch before it soothed itself out. Then she just looked at me like I was something on the sole of her shoe. I am starting to wish I was taller, just so people wouldn't be able to look down me so easily, well at least not everyone could.

The slap came out of nowhere. I really didn't see Courtney raise her hand to do it at all, but the right side of my face feels like its been stung and burned at the same time while I can clearly see her left hand and arm being crossed under her chest along with her right arm. My nose aches as if I had ran into the side of a brick building face first. I lost my balance from the violence of the backhand, but at least I didn't tumble to the ground. I know I'm starting to tear up some, I can feel it but I feel kinda numb as well. I can't believe she just did what I think she did. This has to be some sort of nightmare. It just has to be. Courtney would never normally hit someone like that, she abhorred such _'casual physical violence' _as she used to call it back home. I can feel something warm running down the side of my face and from my nose as well. It's just a tear, that all. It has to only be that... I don't want to think that my cousin, my _**friend**_, would draw blood with such an action. It's not like her in the slightest of the least bit. Her eyes are even colder than before as she leered down at me by the slightest of fractions. "Don't you **ever** look at me or speak to me like that again. This isn't some nice safe little place where you can whine over trivial little things that **only** you even seem to notice. Stop playing pretend and come back to reality. We are going to train with some of Lord Vader's other students, if you are smart... You'll look down the whole time if you can't wipe that smugly defiant expression off your face little girl. I would also forget that I ever knew that whiny and arrogant tone of voice as well. Grow up and dry it up, stop sniveling like an abused spoilt brat. Now we have only ten minutes to get there, and if I'm late because of you then you will find that backhand was a merciful beginning."

I tried to keep from crying, but I couldn't. I knew there were people in the hall glancing over to see this, but I couldn't stop. I couldn't even feel enough to be humiliated at the moment- never mind mortified. I don't know how we are going to get through this now. I want some chocolate, I need it to think about how to fix this. Can I just go back to having to worry about my parents grounding me for a bad mark in school, dealing with my friends arguing, my little sister tearing my room apart, and dreading homework. I want to go back to just playing board games during lunch breaks while betting food on card games. It's only been a short time, but it feels like forever almost. Maybe things would go back to normal _if_... **when** we find a back. Please whoever hears such things, let things go back to normal. I promise I will do better in math and actually pay attention in even the boring government classes. I promise I will get continual high marks if that's what it takes for us to get back. I'll stop being so impatient with my siblings; I'll stop being difficult when my dad says I shouldn't go near certain people; I'll stop being lazy when it comes to doing chores, I promise. Just let things go back to normal. I'll be a better person. Just let things go back to normal. I would do anything not to be here right now, with my left arm being crushed further in Courtney's grip as she drags me towards wherever we are going. I would give anything for this all to be a bad dream. I'm tired of this place, I'm ready to wake up and be in my own bed back home.

"Pinch the bridge of your nose. There's a med droid where we are going today, it can fix the rest of it- I wish you wouldn't press me so much. This is reality now, you have to accept that Diamond. This is home now, whether we like it or not, you must accept that fact." I think I must have been hearing things again... It almost sounded like the Courtney I remembered but the words didn't seem right coming out of her mouth. It sounded like some rhetoric memorized in a class. Nothing about them were personal, it almost seemed mechanical like the stupid computers around here. I think the robots might sound more alive than the phrasing, but the tone was warm for a moment. "I know it hurts, but you have to stop crying quickly- You cannot show weakness around here if you want to survive. You have to stop fighting changing to live in this world, it isn't going to help you any at all. Please, if not for my sake then for your own sake. I don't want to see you die. You have to try to fit in and prove yourself useful in what you can here or they **will** kill you."

I don't know how my right hand came to my nose to pinch it a bit. I could still feel something warm and sticky on the side of my face while the nosebleed subsided as I was dragged along behind her. I wish I could say I understood what she meant, but it didn't seem right most of it. I at least understand not showing weakness as I tried to force my tear ducts to stop working. At least I hadn't been sobbing too hard I guess, but it was still hard to force my breathing back to normal. You would have thought a soothing normal vocal tone would calm one down a bit, not make them want to breakdown more. I don't really recall how long it took to stop myself from wanting to crumble to the ground and sobbing it out, but we got to the place we needed to be at all too soon for my liking. Still, the hissing door slid into the wall by the time I had gotten it together. The grip on my arm was gone, replaced by a light shove against the middle of my back to move into the room. I hope tripping over the threshold counts as entering, I really do because that's how I ended up falling nearly face first into the arena for lack of a better word. There were some benches around the walls and nearly ten people around deflecting blaster bolts and bouncing off objects being tossed around by some unknown machine with some odd laser swords, just when I thought things couldn't get weirder. Although the temperature was colder than before, the lighting was so bad I have no idea how they could see to block the things, and the music being piped in is what caused me to trip, it was so clashing and low that I thought my head was going to explode. It took everything I had to keep from curling up into a ball on the floor and holding my head where I was. Although I guess I wasn't in the way of the door as it hissed closed behind Courtney, as I stood up to look right at a black suit of armour. I felt myself shivering before I felt a hand land gently on top of my right shoulder and an oddly chilly source of warmth behind me. The background music seemed to become more melodiously smoother for a moment, almost like a sad ballad that was in a lower tone but still had a pleasant higher counter melody. Maybe the composer changed his mind for a moment and Courtney is closer behind me than I thought.

"You were ordered to show up twenty minutes ago, I do not like to be kept waiting." The sibilantly robotic hissing sound of breathing punctuated each word coming from the armored figure of impatient anger. It felt like my body was being squeezed tightly by an invisible machine press of some kind and the bad music came back underneath the sad ballad. The temperature dropped even lower and the lights were almost non-existent. I couldn't move an inch and it hurt to breath, I could hear the rough sound of Courtney's breathing as well, but when I tried to turn my head to look at her- she was to my right instead of behind me. She was starting to turn blue around the skin near her left ear. The squeezing tightened as we both struggled to breathe and I ended up looking back at the man-at least I think he's a man- looming over us. "This is your one warning. Do not try my patience or good will again." The pressure stopped all of a sudden as the temperature warmed back up a little bit and the lights came back up some as the chilly warmth tried to wrap around me. I swore I heard someone telling me it would be alright, just to relax. I ended up looking around for the voice, but it was a guy's voice. I ended up following the advice, since at least the guy didn't seem anger or upset. Maybe he was behind me then, it would be nice to know there was at least one person who was normal here other than Aurelius. The mechanized synthesized voice boomed on further almost emotionlessly. "Du'pre find a saber to use and join with Keats. You will figure out how to do what is necessary as you go since you could not follow a simple order. Berchange, you are to observe what they are doing. This is a far more advanced group than _your_ level, I want to know everything you see, hear, and _feel_, as it happens. Is that understood." I got the inkling it wasn't an option to argue as Lord Vader strode over to a wall where a barrel went flying towards someone with feline-like features as the horrible underlying music surged loudly for a minute and the lights flickered. I don't know how it was launched so, there were no machines or switches to move it. Vader only barely flickered his wrist and sent it flying. Maybe this has something to do with those lessons that Hethrir has been trying to drill into us. The ones I'm no good at... Shit. I'm screwed. The presence behind me remained, I wonder who the guy Vader ignored was... But if he was being ignored, maybe I shouldn't bring it up to the suit of walking armour. Maybe.

I felt myself being pushed from behind, or was it pulled, by a freezing force that surrounded me until I ended up stumbling over to the bench nearest where Vader stood. It was an odd view of people dodging, bending light at angles, cutting through things. I'm actually glad I wasn't involved in t he whole mess yet. With how my arms were hurting, I would be hit every time I blinked, I was never that graceful or skilled at such activities with balls- never mind lasers. It was a cacophony of mayhem and I had to mention every thing I saw, heard, or felt? What I supposed to feel? Well, at least I could mention things I always noticed I guess... "The guy in black and gray got hit by the beam, but cut the barrel in half. The temperature dropped in here again, the background sound composers awful music got louder, the lights dimmed significantly, and the cursing is high." I started as I sat down gingerly. I don't know if Vader was paying any attention to what I was saying, but the ignored guy stayed near me. I couldn't see anyone and that was the odd thing, but I'll deal with that later. Maybe I'm starting to lose my mind now too... Great, just great. Fifteen and starting to have issues. I kept doing this for what felt forever as my throat started to get dry and sore from talking so much with no sign of reception or recognition from my silent captor. I managed it until I saw Courtney about to be hit by a reflected beam from Mitchel's laser saber as well as a few flying barrel fragments. I don't want them to get hurt, she might have slapped me earlier, but that had to be just an accident! I don't want her or Mitchel to get hit by either things... The lights went bright for a moment as the temperature warmed and the music became a quick jig. The beam seemed to ricochet inches from Courtney into a wall as the barrel fragments exploded and landed harmlessly around Courtney and Mitchel in a circle. My head hurt a little and I felt emotionally drained and tired for a second... However, it seemed when I stopped speaking Vader decided to look at me while the rest of the group looked around confused. I think I might have messed up something somehow. "Interesting. Practice is over for now. You all are to return to your quarters and speak nothing of this to anyone until I have determined what happened. Now leave." I tried to get up when I heard the hissing emanations from the over-sized armour wearing Vader and leave with all the others. Although I found a heavy, over-sized hand holding me down by the back of my neck and the top of my shoulders. I ended up shivering under the grip while the arena emptied. "Not you, not yet. Do you know what just happened."

I shivered again under the quietness of the monotone voice as I forced myself to look up at Vader. "Not really. The others were doing as I said earlier but somehow a bolt ricocheting from Mitchel's saber ended up veering away from Courtney and the barrel fragments exploded before they hit them. I don't know how they did... Just that they did. It was warmer for a moment and the lights started to work better but that's it really." I know I was trying not to sound shaky when I spoke to Vader, but I was felt like some large beast was staring into my eyes and down into me. I couldn't help but feel ready to bolt but unable to move. I don't know why he needed me here to say that, surely he saw it as well as I did if not better, right?

"You should exercise more self-control over your emotions and meditate upon your anger and hate, Diamond. Such outburst like that one could prove deadly to you without control... Your anger will give you strength, use it. Focus on it. You will speak of this to no one but me, and we will not speak of it again. Focus and prevent such _instances_ in the future; I will overlook this for now." There was no emotion in his voice as he knelt down for a moment to loom only a bit above me. The grip had lightened to a barely there pressure as I had two hands on my shoulders now. "You did that, but you acted upon weak emotions. You can do greater if you use stronger, more powerful motivation for your acts but you must _**focus**_ to keep from doing it without thought." I shivered under the quiet tone of nothingness as he spoke. If I closed my eyes for a moment... "Go to the med droid on the other side to get yourself together. I need you to meditate for the rest of the day on accessing your anger, your hate, your fears if need be and I do not want you to have any distractions. We will speak of your progress tomorrow." I didn't speak but just nodded at him. I don't know why I should focus on such things, I try to ignore them as much as I can. I don't like feeling scared or angry. I don't like being a hateful being... I may hate things here but I don't like the fact that I have to hate them. It doesn't make sense.

It seemed that the nod was enough as Vader strode on out almost as if nothing were in here or in his way. Fragments flew out of his path as if they were magnets being repelled by their opposite poles. It took a moment to see the lights brighten up considerably and the room warmed to an actually pleasant temperature. The ignored guy seemed to be with me, but I don't know how I couldn't see him. "Okay, everyone is gone now... If I'm not going crazy you can come out now. I promise I don't bite... Er, I'm harmless really." I tried to call out and look for the other for a while but I saw no sign other than hearing a ballad every so often before it faded. "Okay, if I could disappear like that I would too. Maybe I am just going crazy... Great, institutional at fifteen." I ended up kicking a bit of metal only to hop back biting my lower lip and tongue as it hurt! So, maybe it motivated me to get to the medic droid limping quicker. I don't think I can meditate on the hate issue or the anger one, but I'm tired of being scared. Does that count?

It took too long for the droid to finish scanning and fixing me up. Although pain killer was not included in the treatment. So, I now I have soreness for no reason. Just my day, really. I ended up wandering out of the room once I could, only to figure out... I have no idea where I am. Lost again, great... Time to figure out this side too now. Oh well, beats meditating on the horrid trio of subjects. Maybe, I'll figure out if I'm just going nuts or where that guy is hiding. That sounds like fun actually.

_Author Notes and Review Replies: ./topic/21148-gem-games-arc-author-notes-and-review-responses/_


	4. Diverging Paths

**Running the Gauntlet**

**Part IV: Diverging Paths**

I don't know how long it took for me to wander around this _new_ horizon, but it was a cold journey that ended up with me outside. It was a desolately filled sky with no trees or organic life but blurring lines of color that might have beautiful against any other setting. The sounds were almost deafening for a while, a painful reminder that I had been trapped inside of this complex of a building for too long. My shoulders still ached along side my poor foot- why couldn't they include painkillers in the treatment? The music was still softly audible but not as overpoweringly overbearing as before. The wind chill of the air was clammy enough to make me shiver as I stood looking over the precipice of the abyssal drop into the darkening depths below me. There was an odd feeling of warmth flowing from the unseen fathoms, one that I wish could have come from where I was. This place seems dim even outside, although I can't even see the sun for the towers looming above me- even this height. Darkness seems to be the commonality of this place, this prison. The wind blows rapidly through the artificial cliffs as if it were always this sterile and decrepit at once. I can see where some of the buildings are starting to decay and tarnish with age before they descend into the tartarian depths. All in all, I know it is late afternoon where I am and that there is a sun somewhere that I never see. This just makes it feel colder really, but there are some places that call out with a softer tone and almost seductive warmth to them. One is below me while another comes from a slight distance in a building that I have never seen this close up before... If one could call just barely being visible close up for a building as huge as I suspect that one to be. The years it's existed show faintly from here but it doesn't fit in this abnormally graphed out maze of invisible horrors.

The domed roof barely shows, but a pole on top of it has broken off at some point in time. I know the sun does exist due to the faint glimmer of a sparkle that shines ever so lightly to where I am now. Try as I might, I cannot strain my eyes to make out any further details or even spot anything about it that could even let me try and find it again- never mind look up any information about it if I ever really figure out the network around here well enough to do so. Tears start to well up as I keep trying to push myself to do the impossible against the very laws of physics and nature itself. Good thing I never really had a use for physics I guess, but I am a bit fond of nature in general. So, no law breaking for me today … Not due to lack of effort on my part anyways. Scrubbing away the burning droplets doesn't fix the situation either. Maybe it is just the part of me that is frightened and mixed-up but I want to go to that place. It seems like it might be safe and warm for a moment. Is it so much to ask for those two things? Is it too much to ask to not be scared every time you go to sleep because of the things you see at night? Is it too much to ask at all? I wish I had found my invisible hallucination now, I could have at least felt like I had someone to talk to, even if it wasn't real. "Who wants to listen to the ramblings of a crazy teen anyway, right?" My throat hurt as a shaky laugh forced itself out when I just gave into this tendency to think out-loud at times. Courtney said I should get it together and not show any weakness, but does it count if no-one else is around? It's not like I want to be such a cry baby about all these odd little things after all.

The wind did eventually begin to blow colder as the faint sparkle slid out of view on the broken spire. The icy wind lit by a blooming of artificial stars along the sides of buildings- possibly even the roofs of some. That would be hard to tell, although you couldn't really see if their were actual stars in the sky so it would be as safe a guess as any. I'm not really sure how long I stood there, slightly hidden in a recess of the wall on a _balcony-like sidewalk_ thingamajig, but to be honest I didn't care. As cold as it was out here, it was warmer than inside at least and the music could only faintly pipe out instead of overwhelm you. Just how _in the blazes of hell itself_ I was going to get back was something I would deal with later after I decided if I wanted to go back or not. So far the not was looking pretty good to me except for the fact that I'd be all alone in this man-made gorge without a damn clue of how to get by. Something told me that this was not a place to be clueless in. It was one thing back home, people would help you if you needed it. Here it seemed that everyone was too busy being cold to even notice that anyone else existed but themselves never mind being nice.

"So this is where you ended up Midget: nice night tonight isn't it? Not raining, you can see the lights for miles and it's rather pleasant with a faint breeze. However, it is starting to get a bit chilly so why don't you follow me back in and we'll see about finding something to eat." I ended up jumping out of my skin when I heard Mitchel deciding to comment on the weather as if it were something that had always been. Just where did he come from? I looked around trying to see where he could have ninja-ed out of and came up with na-da. He didn't sound upset nor look it actually, almost as if he were _normal_ for a moment... I still wish I knew how he managed to move around so quickly that I didn't even hear him. His laugh had such a derisively sneering quality about it that maybe calling it a snort would have been more accurate but... It was just how he always had been. "I thought you would get lost without Courtney playing mother-hen for ten seconds. Lucky for you that your _natural grace_ didn't kick in and have you trip over the edge at the same time. It would have taken forever to find you, if anyone else had bothered. Courtney's getting frantic let's go already." I didn't even have the opportunity to blink as he all but shoved me back into the near labyrinthine maze that was our prison as if it were simply time to get back to class. The music was not as bad as usual, but still horribly atonal and at least quieter for once. Although still I sadly don't know if the inside was brighter than the outside of this place.

"Now you go silent on me, you must be starving. You're never quiet if you can help it Rough so let's not go about starting that now. What did Lord Vader want to know from you and what were you supposed to do? I doubt you got started on it and I don't want to get into trouble because of your ditsy, no-sense-of direction-or-time ass. So how about you tell me so neither of us ends up **out** of the frying pan..."

I'm never quiet? Has he listened to himself or looked in any mirror lately? I'd glare at him, but he's behind me and I'd have to glare _**up**_ at him. Although that's never stopped me before here, now I have to keep my head down since apparently my eyes bother people. Hell, everything about me bothers people here. I wish I knew what was so unsettling about me at times... Was it the fact I've not resigned myself to slavery? Is it the fact that I'm still me? That last bit can't be it since Mitchel hasn't changed much either... Unless you count becoming a greater ass-hat than before a big change. He used to be a bit nicer and less of a sarcastic bastard to other people before he and Courtney broke up. Well, that still rules out that it seems. So what is it that makes Aurelius, Courtney, and everyone else tell me to keep my head down and _not_ look at someone in the eyes. Now that I think about it, I think the only two who have not told me to keep my head down was the walking black knight and that one weird guy... Nah, I couldn't hear part of what he said so I might have missed it when he mentioned it. Just another guy here, probably had been like Mitchel if I think about it long enough. I guess I've been tuning out part of Mitchel's bitch out of a sermon. Well, it was either that or go even more crazy. I would like to go five minutes without being sermonized, soapboxed, lectured, or talked down to. Let's not forget being creeped out on top of it all...

"Tuning me out again Diamond? Typical. Can't you just stop being so selfish and thinking only of your self and your own petty reasons long enough to see the trouble you put on me and Courtney with your behavior. I get you're having trouble adjusting, but there is opportunity to be had here if you just strive for it and open up to your friends. We want you to thrive here as well, we're not heading back home so the only option is to follow the rule of the Etruscans- _When nestled within the seven hills, do as the city_ _citizens do_. They don't understand those with _issues_ like _yours_ here, you're just going to have to overcome _them_."

I had to look down at my feet to hide the moment of irritation I felt as I tuned in enough to hear that. Did he think I was going insane? Okay, maybe I was... Still, did he have to put it like that! It just hurt, where did my friends go?

"Damn _fucking_ bratty imp. Don't you dare ignore me right now... I refuse to be punished because of you again, _Midget._ Do you hear me. Don't you _**dare**_ ignore me. You will tell me what our Master told you to do and you _will_ get it done even if it kills you. I will not suffer because of your stubborn ass anymore than I have to. Look. At. me."

It was the second time today I have felt my back slam against something solid, only this time it was the wall. I found my chin being forced up to look up at Mitchel's almost placidly blank face. I shivered for a moment as he held me by the underside my chin, my neck, and my stomach. The worst part of the shock was the sheer amount of pressure he applied just below my sternum. The urge to vomit was increasing as I could feel the squeezing pressure of earlier, only rougher. It was trying to squeeze me to death and the room's temperature dropped to freezing all of a sudden. The horrid music crescendoed instantaneously as blackness tinged with white sparks threatened to overtake my vision. Something was wrong with Mitchel. I was wrong- he had changed more than I thought. I wasn't the one losing it... He was. This _place_ was driving us all insane. If there was only some way to reach him, some way to stop him from getting worse. If nothing happened we would all die here. I won't let that happen if I can help it. What can I do though? I'm not powerful or good at anything... I just want to be able to ease his madness. Maybe if I could stop the music somehow, Vader did say I caused the incident earlier. I have no idea how... I know I'm not the only one to hear it now, maybe Mitchel and Courtney just don't realize they're hearing it. So, maybe I can block the horrible music to Mitchel now... I have to try something or he might just kill me. I forced myself to look him right in the eyes as I forced myself to relax in his grip. Sometimes becoming dead weight helped you get out of holds according to that self defense course my mother had taken. Now would be a good time to remember more of it if I could. If only Mitchel would just calm down... I wish he would.

The room lighting brightened up for a moment and flickered in and out of life for a few moments. It was getting harder to breathe from the pressure against my chest, but the temperature fluctuated between frigid and pleasant. The music seemed to be in flux at the same time and I found myself focusing on pushing forward the jaunty jig that was starting to break through. Well, I was hoping by focusing on it that Mitchel might pick up on it and calm down. I'm not sure how long this lasted, personally it felt like another eternity had decided to come and go. I was growing more and more exhausted as the moments ticked on. That may account for why the end of this is still hazy to me. I remember Mitchel sinking to the ground unconscious with a peaceful expression as a somewhat feline looking woman stood over me after the pressure dissipated. I'm not sure if I didn't dream her up, but if I did that may explain why I swore I heard her saying something that almost sounded kind. "You're a brave one aren't you. Trying to heal your attacker... I'm not the only one then. I've dealt with him. Don't let..." She had an odd accent when she spoke, but she felt so warm and the lighting worked properly for a moment. There was an odd seeming purr towards the end but I could be imagining this all up. She looked a bit like Hetherir... I must have been dreaming...

To be honest, I'm not sure how much time passed before I woke up back in my quarters with the mother of all headaches. That was one hell of a dream, being lost, found, and then attacked by Mitchel. Yeah... a dream. It had to have been. He would have never have done that never mind Courtney backhanding me earlier in that same dream. Also, me doing something that would draw Vader's attention with this _force_ they go on about is just ludicrous if you think about it. Why would anyone want me to translate something for them that the 'droids couldn't and that odd guy had to be representative of something. Maybe just my wish to not be the only one who notices these odd things. Although, what does an invisible man have to do with any of this? Well, the subconscious seldom makes sense to the conscious mind when you think about it. At least what little I've read on the matter- when I looked it up on a lark a few years ago- seems to agree. A cool wet cloth placed against my forehead caused me to startle enough that I almost jumped out of the bed.

"Easy, Diamond, easy. You're sick as a dog and running a high fever to boot. The medical droids have done what they can, but you were shaking so hard when they were trying to see to you. What happened to you and Mitchel? He won't wake up and you looked like you were having a grand mal seizure before someone had to go get Aurelius to translate what you were saying. I couldn't get here sooner than he did..." I swear I heard Courtney's voice sounding like it used to, kind and soothing. I don't know why I relaxed underneath it so easily after that nightmare I just had but... Well, a dream is just a dream. It must have been a fever nightmare. I would have answered her but my throat hurt too badly to speak and it did hurt to breathe now that I took a second to realize it. I settled for opening my eyes as much as I could to look at her. It must have been enough for her because I saw her let out a deep breathe before rubbing at her own eyes. "You're awake, that's good. I don't know what Aurelius did but it seemed to stop your seizures and let the droids see to you. They think you might have gotten around something you were allergic to since your immune system was starting to look like it was going to go into something similar to anaphylactic shock, but it wasn't as far as anyone could tell."

I tried to reach out to touch her arm as I saw her starting to break down into tears. We were alone where-ever we were. I could feel her arm underneath my finger tips as I tried to tell her it was okay, she could cry. I wanted to cry too, so it was okay. I wanted to try to calm and comfort her. It was such a strong feeling that I could practically taste it, never mind touch it. Her skin goose-pimpled after being untouched for so long. Had I been so absorbed in trying to save us all that I had started to shut out my friend that badly? She must be as frightened and angry as I was at times, only having no outlet for it. There was this feeling of a dreadful dark wrongness imposed upon her. I wanted to be able to help her fight back those dark feelings of despair and just let her be herself again. If touch could convey emotions, I wanted mine to convey comfort and warmth. She needed them both badly. I tried to grip her arm gently to reassure her. The room lighting fluctuated a good bit brighter as the temperature regulator decided to work for a rare moment.

The temp regulator failed a moment later as the lights went back to normal when the sliding door caused me to clinch my hand around a cold metal bar. I looked over at Courtney who was staring at my hand while she was crying silently. For a moment she looked almost at peace, just for a moment. The droid that rolled into check on me was accompanied by a tall looming dark figure. Hetherir.

"Why are you wasting time in here when you should be striving to improve your pathetic skills and lot in life Tellurian. _This_ weakling is beyond redemption. _You_ are not much better. If you want to be better than the _floor_ you walk on, you will come with me now. Dry it up wretch." He sneered down at Courtney as I could only glare at him. **How dare he talk to her like that! **Who the fuck did he think he was? He wasn't any better off than us here. We're all sub-human as far as the fuck-sticks who followed the so-called Emperor seemed to think. Still all my attempts to defend Courtney earned was a sharp punch to the solar plexus before he gripped my friend with that invisible grip and used his claws to grab her by the hair. With that she was dragged out as she didn't struggle against him. The last thing I heard him say was about facing her punishment. I don't know what he was referring to but I didn't like the sound of it. The only thing I could do was start to pray to whomever would listen that she'd emerge alright from it. My throat felt scratch and almost as if someone had crushed it earlier so my attempts to speak came out as silently croaks. The droid seemed impassive to the events surrounding it as it worked.

I didn't know when the man who coughed came in, maybe he came in with Courtney or maybe he came in with the droid. Still, it was enough that I looked up to see cold brown-green eyes look over me as if their owner was paradoxically disinterested yet curious at once. It was an unsettling feeling as a cold smile seemed to appear all Cheshire Cat like for a moment before it faded. "You still hear it ingénue, don't you. This time- possibly- you'll be able to hear over it. No one else hears it but you and I, lonely doomed existence that we have here. The weak will perish in the cold flames of the dark, but the strong... The strong will flourish. They can't measure strength usually, but the _cat_ was right. She is a weakling, too frightened to think. You should rethink where your loyalties stand ingénue."

I glared as hard as I could manage at him, I don't know who he is and when the fuck did my nightmares start coming to life? I wasn't going to give in to anyone, never mind mouthy figments of my imagination. Courtney's not weak! She's stronger than me... She's the one that the Prune Snake was worried about after all. How could he even suggest such a thing!

"Such a pity, you have such beautiful, intriguing eyes. It's such a pity you have to hide them from the fools. Will they dim I wonder. They may fade or freeze in time. I'm sure either are possibilities. Still, they could blaze to the point they generate enough heat that everything else seems frozen in comparison. That's still a possibility with you. You hear it's song clearly as well, you could be the same as me in time. A true rarity with those who come here."

The cold calculating musing tone that he had somehow made me feel like I needed a bath. This guy was at least ten years older than me... Something about him just creeped me out all over again. I wish I knew what it was about him that made me want to throw something at him and throw up at the same time. I don't know what stopped him from stalking closer, but his arrogantly knowing smirk was too close for my liking as it was. I felt kinda like a mouse confronted by a cobra at this moment.

"It'll be a while before I can visit you again ingénue, do try to stay alive until then."

I could only blink as he disappeared out of the room as if he were never there in the first place. How the _**hell**_ did he do that? I don't know why I felt the need to curl up into such a tight little ball, but I felt violated somehow. Still, it was a beautiful thing when the droid said I was fully recovered and should be able to go to my own quarters. I'm not sure how I was fully well again as I barely had the strength to stand and my throat hurt like a bitch, but that wouldn't be the first time something unusual happened in this place. There was still Vader to deal with after this as well. Would this day go bad all day? Wasn't the nightmare bad enough?

_./topic/21148-gem-games-arc-author-notes-and-review-responses/_

_AN: Sorry for the short chapter... This one just didn't want to come out right for a while. So have I confused anyone yet?_


End file.
